Buying at garage sales to sell on eBay can be surprisingly lucrative. However, preparation is necessary to ensure that time and money is not wasted on items that will end up sitting in your home collecting dust. By following some simple tips and doing your research, you can get in on an enjoyable money-making method.

Steps

1

Do your research.

Know what is selling well on eBay currently. eBay Pulse lists items across a number of different categories that are most often searched for and placed on watch lists.

Utilize your personal knowledge. If you are a collector of vintage books, stamps, or any other item, brush up by looking at the current eBay listings. When buying at garage sales to sell on eBay, knowledge is your best friend. Also consider purchasing a price book to refer to as needed.

Check out the shipping fees associated with items on eBay. Customers will not want to pay much more than the value of the item. You may want to consider offering free shipping for some items, but ensure that this does not cut into your profits.

2

Prepare to go to local garage sales.

Peruse the local newspaper and online garage sale ads to find listings that offer what you are looking to sell on eBay.

Plan your day based on the location of garage sales, attempting to avoid wasting gas and time by backtracking. Ensure that you know exactly where a sale is located and the time it opens.

Leave your designer clothing and jewelry at home, as well as any fancy cars. Dress cleanly and comfortably for the weather.

Ensure you have a variety of bills as well as change.

Bring snacks and plenty of bottled water. It is important to stay hydrated and keep up your energy.

3

Start early. Plan to arrive at the most promising garage sale early. While some people will knock on the home owner's door to open up, this will not help you into their good graces for any potential discounts.

4

Ask the owners when you arrive if you are looking for something specific. This will ensure that you only spend time where beneficial.

5

As garage sales are opening up, your best strategy is to hit as many as possible to find items to sell on eBay. The best items often are sold early.

6

Shift strategy around 10 AM, spending more time per garage sale to find hidden treasures. When looking for something specific, feel free to ask the sellers if they have any of that item sale. Sometimes they will have just what you are looking for in a box that has not yet been unpacked for sale.

Once you find a good garage sale, ask the sellers if you can start a pile near their checkout table. This frees your hands to examine other items. It can also give you more negotiating power when paying if the seller sees a large pile of items to be purchased.